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Hong Kong scientists receive State Natural Science Awards
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     Hong Kong scientists have again received significant recognition, with local researchers winning four second-class State Natural Science Awards (SNSA) in 2013 as announced by the National Office for Science and Technology Awards in Beijing today (January 10).

     The Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng, said, "The awards received by the Hong Kong researchers highlight our excellent capabilities in basic and applied research, and serve as motivation to their fellow researchers as well as the Government. We congratulate the awardees on their achievements and hope they will continue to scale new heights in their research."

     The SNSA are one of five categories of awards under the State Science and Technology Awards (SSTAs) organised by the State Council. As China's most prestigious award in the field of natural science, the SNSA aim to reward individuals and organisations for academic excellence in basic and applied research in natural science. In 2013, more than 140 entries competed for the SNSA.

     Three projects nominated by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and one project nominated by experts on the Mainland won second-class awards in the 2013 SNSA. Details are as follows:

     Professor Wong Wai-yeung of Hong Kong Baptist University was awarded for his research project on "Multifunctional metallopolymers/metallophosphors and their emerging applications". Other core team members included Professor Zhou Guijiang, Dr Ho Cheuk-lam, Dr Wang Xingzhu and Dr He Ze of Hong Kong Baptist University. The project focused on the properties of metallopolymers/metallophosphors and their emerging applications in optoelectronics and energy industries. The materials and technologies developed in the project have various applications as electron donor materials in organic solar cells, light emitters in organic light-emitting devices, optical power limiters and as patternable precursors for fabricating nanoscale magnetic data storage devices.

     Another award was conferred on Professor Teng Jinguang of Hong Kong Polytechnic University in recognition of his research on the "Behaviour and design of concrete structures strengthened with advanced fiber-reinforced polymer (FPR) composites", which has resulted in innovative achievements and important scientific discoveries, including the first comprehensive, systematic and scientific theory for FRP-strengthened concrete structures. The research outcomes were adopted by civil engineering design guidance documents in China, the US, the UK and Australia. Other core team members of this project included Professor Lu Xinzheng of Tsinghua University, Dr Lam Lik of Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Professor Ye Lieping of Tsinghua University.

     Professor Zhao Tianshou of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology was awarded for his research on the "Characteristics of coupled multiphase heat and mass transfer and electrochemical reactions in fuel cells". Other core team members of this project included Dr Yang Hao, Dr Chen Rong, Dr Liu Jianguo and Dr Yang Weiwei of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Professor Zhao has made significant breakthroughs in research into the physical and chemical phenomena of fuel cells, building a theoretical framework which paves the way for the further development of fuel cells as a clean and sustainable efficient energy production technology.

     Another second-class SNSA award was received by Professor Zhu Lixing of Hong Kong Baptist University for his research project on "Model checking and dimension reduction in regressions". The project was nominated for the award by Mainland experts.

     The HKSAR Government was invited by the National Office for Science and Technology Awards to submit nominations from Hong Kong, which were co-ordinated by the Education Bureau with the help of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council and the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre.

Ends/Friday, January 10, 2014
Issued at HKT 14:30

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